Gypsophila plant named ‘Esm Alicia’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gypsophila  plant named ‘Esm Alicia’, characterized by its erect and strong flowering stems; early, uniform and freely flowering habit; semi-double luminous white-colored flowers; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Gypsophila hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Esm Alicia’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gypsophila plant, botanically known as Gypsophila hybrida, grown commercially as a cut flower, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Esm Alicia’.

The new Gypsophila is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely flowering Gypsophila cultivars with many petals per flower and straight stems.

The new Gypsophila originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador in February, 2003 of a proprietary selection of Gypsophila hybrida identified as Line 146, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gypsophila hybrida identified as Line 31, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Esm Alicia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gypsophila by cuttings in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador since December, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Gypsophila are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Esm Alicia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Esm Alicia’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Esm Alicia’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Gypsophila:

-   -   1. Erect and strong flowering stems.     -   2. Early, uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   3. Semi-double luminous white-colored flowers.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila had stronger flowering stems         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila had larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila were taller than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila were more freely flowering than         plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Gypsophila can be compared to plants of the Gypsophila cultivar Esm Cold, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the cultivar Esm Cold in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila were taller than plants of the         cultivar Esm Cold.     -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila had longer internodes than         plants of the cultivar Esm Cold.     -   3. Flower petals of plants of the new Gypsophila were more         luminous white in color as flower petals of plants of the         cultivar Esm Cold.

Plants of the new Gypsophila can also be compared to plants of the Gypsophila cultivar Dangypflash, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,422. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the cultivar Dangypflash in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila were taller and more narrow than         plants of the cultivar Dangypflash.     -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila had longer internodes than         plants of the cultivar Dangypflash.     -   3. Plants of the new Gypsophila had shorter leaves than plants         of the cultivar Dangypflash.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Gypsophila were longer         lasting than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar         Dangypflash.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Gypsophila. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gypsophila.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Esm Alicia’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Esm Alicia’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador during the winter in ground beds in an outdoor nursery and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial cut Gypsophila production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 11° C. Plants were pinched one time about five weeks after planting and were grown under long day/short day conditions. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical six-month old flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Gypsophila hybrida cultivar Esm Alicia. -   Commercial classification: Cut flower Gypsophila. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gypsophila             hybrida identified as Line 146, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gypsophila             hybrida identified as Line 31, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 16 to 21 days at 17° C. to 25°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About five to six weeks at             17° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine; 163in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial cut flower. Erect and strong flowering             stems; inverted triangle form. Freely flowering;             many-petalled luminous white-colored flowers arranged in             symmetrical and moderately dense compound cymes. Vigorous             growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—After pinching, about 19 flowering stems             develop per year.         -   Plant height.—About 110 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 70 cm.         -   Flowering stems.—Length: About 105 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 8.6 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Glabrescent. Color: 138B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 6.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; waxy.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 139A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: Between 139A and 147A; venation, 137A. Fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: 139A; venation, 137B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Symmetrical compound cymes             with numerous many-petalled luminous white-colored flowers,             flowers rotate. Very freely flowering, about 1,500 flowers             per inflorescence. Flowers face mostly upright.         -   Flowering response.—In Ecuador, plants flower year round.             Plants begin flowering about 14 weeks after planting.         -   Post-production longevity.—As a cut flower, flowers last for             about twelve days. Flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; pleasant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 105 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 50 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 6 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Nearly globose. Color: 143A.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About 50 arranged in             clusters. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Oval             to spatulate. Apex: Truncate, emarginate or obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             waxy. Color: When opening and fully opening, upper surface:             Close to N155D; towards the base, close to 144A; color             becoming closer to 155A with development. When opening and             fully opening, lower surface: Close to N155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five to seven fused to             form a cup-shaped calyx. Length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About             2.4 mm. Shape: Roughly linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When developing, upper surface: 137C. When developing, lower             surface: 137B. Fully developed, upper surface: 137A. Fully             developed, lower surface: 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 39° from vertical. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 60° from vertical. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Eight.             Anther shape: Reniform to globose. Anther length: Less than             1 mm. Anther color: 160C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 160C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 5.5 mm. Style length: About 4.2 mm.             Style color: Close to N155D. Stigma shape: Curved apiculate.             Stigma color: Close to N155D. Ovary color: 143C;             occasionally towards the apex, 165A. Seed/fruit: Seed and             fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Gypsophila have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Gypsophila. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Gypsophila have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Gypsophila plant named ‘Esm Alicia’ as illustrated and described. 